Netflix announced its first original African animated series, Mama K’s Team 4, produced by Cape Town-based Triggerfish Animation Studios and leading London-based kids’ entertainment specialist CAKE.
The world’s leading internet entertainment service is collaborating with Triggerfish Animation studio and CAKE to launch a continent-wide search for local female writing talent as the animated series joins Netflix’s original animated programming designed for kids and families everywhere.
“In addition to giving African writers a global platform on which to be heard, we are excited to present this powerful and entertaining new animated series that brings Mama K’s Team 4 created by Zambian writer Malenga Mulendema incredible and unique vision to life on Netflix. It has the potential to give a whole new generation of African children the opportunity to see themselves on-screen in the powerful, aspirational characters they look up to,” said Melissa Cobb, Vice President of original animation at Netflix.
Growing up watching cartoons on TV Malenga’s question on why no heroes looked like her and why they didn’t live in a world that felt like her own inspired the creation of Mama K’s Team 4 which tells a story about four teen girls living in the neo-futuristic African city of Lusaka, Zambia recruited by a retired secret agent still committed to saving the world.
Designed by Cameroonian artist Malcolm Wope, it draws visual inspiration from retro-’90s R&B and hip hop girl groups, an all fun project, which brings a fresh perspective to a classic cartoon genre.
“ Female writers from Africa who have had their work produced for either TV, film or theatre can find out more about the Writers Lab and how to apply from the careers page of our website, www.triggerfish.com. After animating four multi-award-winning BBC Christmas specials set in England, including the Oscar-nominated Revolting Rhymes, Triggerfish is delighted to bring an African capital city to life on Netflix,” noted Vanessa Ann Sinden, Triggerfish’s development producer.
